In a bid to support the skilled artisans associated with traditional arts, the Uttar Pradesh government has launched the Prime Minister Vishwakarma Yojana under which loans will be extended to artisans of 18 trades as recommended by Bharatiya Janata Party workers.

At the district level, a three-member committee, led by the BJP district president, will oversee the implementation of the scheme. The committee is also set to actively participate in district administration meetings related to the project.

BJP’s national general secretary Sunil Bansal highlighted the strategy behind the scheme during a meeting of district coordinators at the party’s state headquarters. He emphasised on a plan to create a new beneficiary class, aiming to strengthen the party’s support base.

Bansal explained that each booth was expected to benefit four to five people, with a larger goal of assisting 1,000 people at the assembly constituency level. The scheme relied on recommendations from workers, intending to maximise its impact, he said.

“In preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the party has initiated a robust communication strategy with the beneficiaries of Modi-Yogi government schemes. A dedicated team of 11,000 callers has been deployed to facilitate three crore calls per month, engaging with beneficiaries and party workers alike,” he added.

BJP’s state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary emphasised the need to focus on rural areas, particularly to generate employment opportunities for village craftsmen.

Meanwhile, Dharampal Singh, the BJP state general secretary (organisation), revealed plans for a booth-level campaign to register artisans involved in the 18 designated types of work covered by the scheme.

Singh specified that only one member per family would be eligible for the scheme’s benefits.

BJP state vice-president Manvendra Singh has been appointed as the in-charge of the scheme at the state level, with regional vice-presidents Rahul Raj Rastogi and Sudhir Singh overseeing the Awadh and Kanpur regions, respectively.

Several former district heads in various districts have been entrusted with the responsibility of maximising registrations under the scheme. The meeting, attended by state general secretary Govind Shukla, Sanjay Roy, Amarpal Maurya and other office-bearers, highlighted the party’s commitment to grassroots engagement and welfare initiatives.